Waqf board to build mosque, hospital on allotted 5-acre plot
It was decided to accept the five-acre land and to form a trust to look after the construction of the mosque
ZUFAR AHMED FAROOQUI, board chairman
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board (SCWB) announced on Monday that it would accept the five acres allotted to it as part of the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute case on November 9.
The board, one of the main litigants in the case, also announced the formation of a trust to look after the construction of the mosque as well as an Indo-islamic centre, a grand hospital and a public library -all of which will come up on the land.
Monday’s announcement came after the SCWB held a meeting of its members to discuss issues related to compliance with the SC order.
Chairman of SCWB, Zufar Ahmed Farooqui, said: “In the board meeting, it was decided to accept the five acres and to form a trust to look after the conpetition. struction of the mosque.”
Farooqui said the trust would also construct a centre that will highlight the rich Indo-islamic culture.
Farooqui said the construction of the centre, a hospital and a library, were all suggested by board members. He said the size of the mosque will be decided keeping in mind local needs.
Including Farooqui, the Sunni Waqf Board has eight members. Six of them attended the meeting.
On November 9, the board welcomed the apex court’s order in a press conference and said it would not file a review In a historic verdict on November 9 on the Ram Janmabhoomi-babri Masjid dispute, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of construction of a temple. It also ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for a mosque within Ayodhya. Based on the verdict, the Centre asked the Uttar Pradesh government to allot five acres of land to SCWB.
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet, after its meeting on February 5, alloted the land in Dhannipur village in Sohawal tehsil of Ayodhya district.
The land, which was inspected by a team from SCWB last week, is 18 km from the district headquarters Faizabad (Ayodhya), 200 metres from the highway and is easily accessible.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Jamiat Ulema-e-hind, also parties to the case, have rejected the offer of land for the mosque.